Manufacturing of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and their cell derivatives
Bioprocess development to manufacture hiPSC and derivatives for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine using scalable single-use bioreactor systems/platforms under xeno(geneic)-free conditions. Cardiac differentiation of hiPSC in bioreactors. Cultures are performed either as size-controlled 3D aggregates or on microcarriers/scaffolds.
Stem Cell Bioreactor Engineering
Bioreactor modeling is performed by Computational Fluid Dynamic, focusing on the characterization of the hydrodynamic environment as well as mass transfer (with DEQ-IST). Development of novel sensors for monitoring the bioreactor culture environment (with BSIRG-iBB/IST). Bioreactor data is analyzed using Machine Learning techniques, towards the continuous improvement of bioreactor operation (with IT).
Biomaterials for hiPSC expansion and differentiation
hiPSC fate can be directed by biochemical and/or biophysical cues. Innovative biomaterial scaffolds, including microcarriers for suspension culture of hiPSC, are designed integrating bioactive motifs to improve the outcomes of hiPSC expansion and differentiation into different lineages, such as cardiac, neural, osteogenic or chondrogenic. Further strategies to mimic the native cellular microenvironment are explored, such as electrical stimulation.
Team:
PhD holders
Carlos André Vitorino Rodrigues, Stem Cell Bioprocessing (Keywords: Human Pluripotent Stem Cells, Bioreactors, Cardiac Differentiation, Stem Cell Bioengineering, Biomaterials)
Diogo do Espírito Santo Nogueira, Engineering characterization of bioreactors for human Pluripotent Stem Cell expansion and cardiac differentiation (Keywords: Human Pluripotent Stem Cells, Bioreactor Engineering and Characterization, Cardiac Differentiation)
Master students
William Sousa Salvador, Towards cost-efficient culture of human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Vertical-Wheel bioreactors
Key collaborators
Brian Lee (PBS Biotech), Vitor Geraldes (DEQ-IST), Bruno Pedras and Mário Nuno Berberan e Santos (BSIRG-iBB, IST), Ana Fred (Instituto de Telecomunicações), David Barata (iMM)